Muhammad Hassan.

One of the questions I get a lot about The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity is “what made you want to write this play?” And I give a lot of answers, but I don’t get to spend a lot of time talking about the most direct influence: Muhammad Hassan.

He was a WWE wrestler shortly after 9/11, and he might have been the coolest character ever in professional wrestling — had the company not gotten terrified and changed course.

There’s not much I can say that hasn’t been said about him, which is why he’s only briefly mentioned in the play itself, but check out that promo and tell me it’ s not the most progressive, transgressive, potentially worldview changing political statements ever made in pro wrestling.